Crossing the Tiber : Conversion

A mixed bag of ideas, mostly based on the sheer oddity of religion.
How and why do people suddenly take up religion - or abandon a faith they may have held for years?

Here for example is a video showing, it claims, that the people we once thought were Popes were wolves in sheep's clothing!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U06fmSwufJw&feature=related

And here is a site apparently put up by a Pope you may not have heard of lately:-
http://www.truecarpentry.org/tccwww/cathwww/pope/index.htm

Alternatively you might care to go to:-
http://catholiccouncil.homestead.com/History/PMSedevacantenihilinnovetur.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• religion
• catholic
• popes
• antipopes
• conversion
• faith
• belief

[jlzkcarlos]

Who was the nun, and what is the book? This sounds so very interesting. Thanks.

[tenneral]

I can't remember the exact book-title. But you may care to read 'I Leap Over The Wall' by Monica Baldwin who left a severely enclosed order of nuns after 28 years. Her uncle was the UK prime minister, Stanley Baldwin.

[jlzkcarlos]

I have read it. A good one. There are so many of the Vatican II era nuns who left. Waiting for the new conservative ones...

You ought to do some book recommendations. Especially since most of us are from the US.

[tenneral]

And of course 'Spiral Staircase' by Karen Armstrong - a highly brilliant writer and broadcaster.

[8journey8]

Oh, but a lovely deconversion Can be the result of the youtube factor! It was here that I first heard the voices that offered a different view of the bible: one that I had never heard before. I was astounded that the atheist position made more sense to my mind than a lifetime of doctrine-cramming. I took courage that the unbelievers spit in the eye of god and lived to tell of it! I studied. And..Sunshine!!! Atheist youtubers are precious to me. They showed me the door to the exit from the maze.

[tenneral]

Yes, the great YouTube Atheists certainly confirmed my enlightenment: I revere them all.

[jorgecarrillo2]

Nice video gentleman, regards

[PFWoody488]

First I saw Cosmos on tv.

Then I read Cosmos by Carl Sagan.

Then I read the Bible (something that I think most xtians never bother to do)

That combination along with some critical thinking led me to discard my childish mystical beliefs.

I owe a huge debt to Dr Sagan for introducing me to reality and showing me the wonder that is the universe. He was truly a great man.

[thatgaybloke]

I hate all of them. My only guilty pleasure in that department is Judge Judy. The rest of it, I can't bear.

[tenneral]

This must be the only reason we can bring ourselves to watch such programmes - and even I draw the line at Jerry Springer and co.

[thatgaybloke]

I have a pet theory that the reality TV show phenomenon (Big Brother, Britain's got talent, etc.) are the 21st century equivalent of the visit to the Bedlam. We love to watch the deluded make fools of themselves primarily because it makes US feel so much better about ourselves.